Johannesburg, 23 Aug, 2023 (GNP): The meeting of BRICS leaders in South Africa this week will review an idea of enlarging the five-nation bloc in the big group that contributes to a quarter of global wealth at a time of great mutual interest.
The clash of opinions occurred among Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa regarding taking up new members into the vaguely defined group of countries that are coming upfront as large-scale economies of the globe looking for a replacement for the Western-led World order.
The officials of South Africa informed that more than 40 countries have taken a certain level of interest in allying with BRICS from the “Global South.”
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However, the countries that showed interest in joining BRIC same as the BRIC members themselves practice a different political system, dissimilar diplomatic standings and economic sustainability, and also have distinct cultures and geography such as Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, and Vietnam, a few of many names.
Moreover, the officials said that generally many are non-aligned nations like Indonesia and Ethiopia, and several are boldly against the United States and its allies as Iran and Venezuela. He further noted that about 50 heads of state and government will be present at the summit.
Meanwhile, the observers expressed that China, the strongest member of BRICS economically, is keen to quickly turn the group into an organization parallel to the G7 club of rich democracies of the Western world.
The Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi characterized the BRICS as “the most important platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries” in July. He further asserted that China was well-prepared to join hands with countries outside the bloc to “expand and strengthen” the club.
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Brian Hart from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies declared that BRICS proposed Beijing a platform where it can “cast itself as kind of the champion or the vanguard of the developing world and the global south.”
Hart, who is an associate at the Washington DC-based think tank remarked, “Beijing views BRICS as a very unique venue for expanding its influence globally.”
Apart from China, Russia and South Africa are also in favor of putting in new members but this goes counter to India, the other prime might in the BRICS, and an economic and geopolitical competitor of China.
New Delhi is seemingly conscious of the BRICS turning into a tool for Beijing to shield its agenda. The opinion of researchers in this regard stated that varying interests could decide who may enter the club in the upcoming years.
